Wrapping and forming boxes



Oct. 4, 1932. J. s. STOKES WRAPPING AND FORMING BOXES Filed 001:. 2. 1929 v I N VEN TOR. bl $1M M 2/- $975M;

A, ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 4, 19321 IJNETED STATES PATENT @FFBQEE.

JOHN S. STOKES, OF HUNTINGDON VALLEY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR '10 STOKES AND SMITH COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA WRAPPING AND FORMING BOXES Application filed October 2, 1929. Serial No. 396,626.

- destined to form two or more panels thereof,

as the bottom and two side panels, to which before severance, and particularly after a scoring operation, tab structure has been applied on one or both sides.

In another aspect of and further in accordance with my invention, individual panels, for example, end panels, are out from elongated strips arranged in stack formation and moved into proper box-forming position with respect to other separate box-' forming components to which they are permanently united; speclfically a wrapper, and preferably a wrapper havlng tab structure complementary to that of the box blank, is

applied to the separate components to hold them in box-forming position and to reinforce the edges of the box formed thereby.

My invention further resides in the methods of producing a box hereinafter described and claimed.

For an understanding of my invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates in perspective a roll of box material and rolls of tabbing material.

Fig. 1a is similar to Fig. 1 with additional rolls of tabbing material.

Fig. 2 in perspective shows a box blank component.

Fig. 3 illustrates the box blank component sition.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a tabbed wrapper.

Figs. 7 to 11 inclusive are successive steps of applying the wrapper of Fig. 6 to the box of Fig. 5.

Referring to Fig. 1 the roll R of suitable box material, as cardboard, or the like, is continuously or intermittently rotated, and as the strip is unrolled, engagement is effected therebetween and tapes 6 of t-abbing material withdrawn from the rolls 1. Fresh adhesive is applied to the tab strips t, t, or adhesive thereon is moistened by the roller G as the tab strips pass thereover prior to engagement with the strip of box material. The composite strip thus formed is cut to form box components C, each of which, as shown in Fig. 1, comprises a portion A adapted to form the bottom of the box and portions or sections S adapted to form op.- posite walls, as side walls of a box.

Preferably before cutting of the blank from the strip, and also preferably before application of tabbing to the strip, the strip is scored, as by knives K, K to facilitate bending of the blanks. The latter is necessary when it is desired, as shown in Fig. la, to apply tabbing material to both sides of the blank. As shown in that figure, the tab strips #1, t1 unreeled from the rolls r1, r1 after becoming tacky by engagement with the roll G1 engage the strip of box material from the roll R parallel to tabs 25 and on the opposite face of side of the strip.

In Fig. 2 the box component C is shown with the side panels S thereof bent vertically to position along the scoring, with the tabs 25, t reinforcing the lower corners. In this figure, the tabs t1, t1 reinforce the inside lower edge of the box. The use of either or both inside and outside tabs greatly increases the strength of the corners or edges of the box and enable the use of substantially light- 1 er box board or box material without sacrifice in strength.

To prevent bowing of the long sides of the finished box, the side panels S, S are bent inwardly as shown in Fig. 3. Thereafter, and preferably before the adhesive on the tabs has set, the component C is positioned on a form block F Fig. 4 for wrapping or staying. Preferably the strip of box material is tabbed, box blanks are cut therefrom, bent to shape and are brought to the form block in immediately succeeding steps and Without appreciable interval of time between steps.

Preferably adjacent the, form block structure F, there are disposed stacks P, P1 of strips Z, Z1 the end pieces of which are in succession fed from the remainder of the stack and box components E, E1, respectively cut therefrom. The feeding of strips Z, Z1

the cutting of end wall components therefrom is preferably timed with respect to the feeding of roll R and cutting of components G therefrom so that the process is continuous and avoids accumulation of box components of either or both types. Referring to Fig. 4, preferably immediately before, during or immediately after disposal of component C upon the form block F, a pair of end wall components E, E; are swung into position registering with opposite ends of the form block to complete the box assembly.

In my co-pending application Serial No. 363,828, filed May 17, 1929, the end wall components were cut from rolls disposed adjacent the form block. In many of the better boxes the box board or cardboard is lined and not available in rolls. Further in many instances the box board is of such material or dimensions that it is too stifi to be wound in a roll. To permit the making of boxes of such material the lined or stiff board, etc. is

-' cut into strips of width corresponding to a 1 panels or components. At the completion of the cutting of one strip, the next strip moves or is moved into the position previously occupied by the first strip, whereupon the feeding and cutting continues.

In Fig. 5, the box component C, and the end components E and E1 are shown in box forming position. Preferably while in this position, the box assembly is brought into registering relation with a wrapper W', Fig. 6, or vice'versa and wrapping of the box is completed in the usual manner. Preferably, the wrapper W is provided with tabs t2, t2, extending substantially or completely across the bottom panel a and side panels 8 of the wrapper. As the box is wrapped by bringing the side panels 8 of the wrapper into engagement with the side panels S of the box assem bly, Fig. 8, thereafter folding the end flaps f into engagement with the end panels of the box, Fig. 9, and subsequently folding the end panels e, 61 of the wrapper into engagement with the corresponding end panels E, E1 of the box blank, the. tabs 52, 5-2 are caused to embrace and reinforce the vertical and short lower horizontal corners of the box.

For most satisfactory results, I prefer that the adhesive on both sides of the tab be fluid during the wrapping operation as if the adhesive securing the tabs to the wrapper is set or dried, the tabs are so stifiened that they resist bending and detract from the appearance and strength of the box. The wrappers may be tabbed, the box engaging faces of the tabs and wrapper coated with adhesive, and the tabbed, coated wrapper delivered to a wrapping station by suitable mechanism as disclosed, for example, in co-pending Rider application, Serial No. 227,144, filed October The marginal portions of the wrapper m, m, Fig. 10, are thereafter bent inwardly and downwardly to complete wrapping of the box, which then assumes the appearance shown in Fig. 11.

While the box wrapping operation may be effected manually, it may be performed to advantage automatically by mechanism of the type shown in F ederwitz et al. Letters Patent No. 1,541,255.

In my co-pending application Serial No. 88,231, filed February 15, 1926, there is described and broadly claimed the method of forming a composite box from separate components, specifically three rectangular pieces of box material, united to form a box during a wrapping operation. In this application, what I claim as my invention is:

1. In the making of a box from separate components, the steps of scoring a continuous strip of box material lengthwise thereof, applying tab structure to said strip over or opposite said scoring, cutting the strip crosswlse to form rectangular blank components, and assembling said components with unattached components to form boxes.

2. In the making of boxes from separate components, the steps of feeding strips individually and in succession from stacks thereof, cutting box components therefrom, and bringing components cut from strips of different stacks into box-forming relation.

3. In the making of boxes from separate components, the steps of feeding strips individually and in succession from a pair of stacks, simultaneously cutting box compo nents from the strips, and bringing each pair of components as out in position to form opposite walls of a box.

' 4. The method of forming a wrapped box from separate box components, which comprises applying tab structure to a component adapted to form the bottom and side walls of a box to overlie box edges formed solely by said component, bringing components adapted to form end walls of the box into proper relation to the first component, and applying a tabbed wrapper to the components with the tabbing thereon overlying corners of the box formed by separate components. I

5. The method of forming boxes from separate box components, which comprises applying tab structure to a continuous strip of box material, cutting box blank components therefrom each adapted to form the bottom and side walls of a box, defining said bottom and side walls by scoring, bringing components adapted to form end walls of a box adjacent each of said components in boxforming relation therewith, and holding said components permanently in box-forming position.

6. The method of forming wrapper boxes from separate box components, which comprises applying tab structure to a continuous strip of box material, cutting box blank components therefrom each adapted to form the bottom and side walls of a box, defining said bottom and side walls by scoring, bringing components adapted to form end walls of a box adjacent each of said components in box forming relation therewith, and applying a wrapper to said components to hold them permanently in box-forming position.

7. The method of forming reinforce wrapper boxes from separate box components, which comprises applying tab structure to a continuous strip of box material, cutting box blank components therefrom each adapted to form the bottom and side walls of a box, dew fining said bottom and side walls by scoring, bringing components adapted to form end walls of a box adjacent each of said components in box-forming relation therewith, and applying a tabbed wrapper to said components with the tabbing thereon overlying box corners formed by separate components.

8. The method of forming boxes from separate box components, which comprises applying tab structure to a continuous strip of box material, cutting box blank comprinents therefrom each adapted to form the bottom and side walls of a box, defining said bottom and side walls by scoring, feeding strips individually from stacks thereof, cut- Tting therefrom components adapted to form end walls of a box, bringing a pair of components adapted to form end walls of a box adjacent each of said first components in box-forming relation therewith, and holding i said components permanently in box-forming position.

9. The method of forming wrapper boxes from separate box components, which comprises applying tab structure to a continuous strip of box material, cutting box blank com ponents therefrom each adapted to form the bottom and side walls of a box, defining said bottom and side walls by scoring, feeding strips individually from stacks thereof, cutting therefrom components adapted to form end walls of a box, bringing a pair of components adapted to form end walls of a box adjacent each of said first components in box-formin relation therewith, and applying a wrapper to said components to hold them permanently in box-forming position.

10. The method of forming boxes from separate box components, which comprises effecting engagement between a continuous strip of box material and one or more continuous strips of tab material, cutting from the composite strip box blank components each adapted to form the bottom and side walls of a box, defining said bottom and side walls by scoring, bringing components adapted to form end walls of a box adjacent each of said components in box-forming relation therewith, and holding said components per-- manently in box-forming position.

11. The method of forming boxes from separate box components, which comprises efiecting engagement between a continuous strip of box material and one or more continuous strips of tab material, cutting from the composite strip box blank components each adapted to form the bottom and side walls of a box, defining said bottom and side walls by scoring, bringing components adapted to form end walls of a box adjacent each of said components in box-forming relation therewith, and applying a tabbed wrapper to said components with the tabbing thereon overlying box corners formed by separate components. I

12. In the making of boxes from separate components assembled I about form-block structure, the steps of feeding strips individually from stacks thereof, cutting box components therefrom, and simultaneously bringing box components cut from different stacks into engagement with opposite sides of the form-block structure.

13. The method of forming a wrapped box which comprises applying tab structure to a box component, and applying a tabbed wrapper to said component, feeding pairs of components cut from different stacks toward opposite sides of the form block structure, and swinging each component of the pair into engagement with the corresponding side of the form block structure.

14. The method of making boxes which comprises applying tab structure to a continuous strip of box material, thereafter cutting box components therefrom, scoring the strip or components to define adjacent box walls, and assembling said components and unattached components to form boxes.

15. The method of making boxes which comprises effecting adhesive engagement between a continuous strip of box material and a continuous strip of tab material, thereafter cutting box components therefrom each forming a box bottom and at least one vertical wall, and assembling said components with Lmattached wall-forming components to form boxes.

16. The method of making boxes which comprises scoring a strip of box material, effecting adhesive engagement between said strip and a continuous strip of tab material, severing the composite strip to form box components each forming a box bottom and at least one vertical wall, and assembling said components with unattached wall-forming components to form boxes.

17. The method of making boxes which comprises unrolling a strip of box material, applying tabbing to the strip as unrolled, scoring the strip to define box bottoms and adjacent walls, severing the tabbed, scored strip to form box components, and assembling said components with unattached components to form boxes.

18. The method of making boxes which comprises unrolling a strip of box material, scoring the strip as unrolled, unrolling a strip of tabbing material, effecting adhesive engagement between said strips, severing the tabbed, scored strip to form box components, and assembling said components with unattached components to form boxes.

19. The method of forming boxes which comprises effecting engagement between a continuous strip of box material and at least one continuous strip of tab material, severing the tabbed strip to form box components each adapted to form the bottom and side walls of a box, severing continuous strips of box material to form unattached box end wall components, and assembling boxes in succession from said components.

20. The method of forming boxes which comprises severing a continuous strip of box material to form box components each adapted to form the bottom and side walls of a box, feeding strips of box material individually and in succession from stacks thereof, cutting end wall box components from said strips, and assembling boxes in succession from said components.

21. The method of forming boxes which comprises unrolling a strip of box material, severing the strip to form box components each adapted to form the bottom and side walls of a box, feeding strips of stiff box material individually and in succession from stacks thereof, cutting end wall box components from said strips, and assembling boxes in succession from said components.

22. The method of forming boxes which comprises unrolling a strip of box material, severing the strip to form box components each adapted to form the bottom and side walls of a box, feeding strips of lined box! material individually and in succession from stacks thereof, cutting end wall box components from said strips, and assembling boxes in succession from said components.

23. The method of forming a wrapped box which comprises adhesively applying tab structure to a box blank, applying tab structure to a wrapper, and before setting of the adhesive securing the tab structure to the box blank and of the adhesive securing the tab structure to the wrapper, applying the wrapper to the box blank, the tab structure of the blank and wrapper reinforcing different edges of the wrapped box.

24. The method of forming a box which comprises adhesively applying tab structure to a box'component adapted to form the box bottom and side walls to overlie corners of the box formed by said component solely, and before setting of the adhesive securing said tab structure to said component adhesively applying sheet material to hold said component and box end Wall components in boxforming position.

25. The method of making boxes which comprises feeding a strip of box material from a roll thereof, scoring the strip to define box bottoms and adjacent panels, feeding a strip of tabbing material into adhesive engagement with the scored surface of the box material strip to bridge the scoring, simultaneously feeding a strip of tabbing material into adhesive engagement with the other side of the box material strip and in register with the tabbing strip being applied to the scored surface, severing the tabbed, scorred strip to form box components, and assembling said components with unattached components to form boxes.

JOHN S. STOKES. 

